From staff reports

Delta to begin testing in-flight food sales

Delta Air Lines on Tuesday said it would test food sales this summer on board more than 400 flights within the United States. Flights will operate round trip from Atlanta, Dallas and Cincinnati to select markets between Saturday and Aug. 10.

Delta will join with the leading fast-casual restaurant in the Southeast, Atlanta Bread Co., and the airline's caterer, Gate Gourmet, for the onboard food sales test. The partnership will provide customers with a la carte options during the 30-day, summer test period.

The nation's third-largest air carrier is already testing on-ground food sales in Cincinnati, in cooperation with the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Anton AirFoods.

P&G boosts annual payout 11 percent

Procter & Gamble Co. increased its annual dividend 11 percent to $1.82 a share, the company said Tuesday.

The increase, payable Aug. 15 to shareholders of record July 18, is the 48th straight year that Cincinnati-based P&G has boosted the annual payout. It applies to both common shares and Series A ESOP Convertible Preferred shares.

P&G, the maker of consumer products including Crest, Tide, Pampers and Pantene, has paid dividends without interruption since 1890.

The quarterly dividend rate will increase to 45.5 cents from 41 cents, P&G said.

Atlanta company buys area biotech business

Physicians CardioTrace, a Mount Auburn biotech company founded in 1984, has been acquired by an Atlanta company for an undisclosed amount.

The buyer, PDSHeart, said Tuesday that the purchase will expand its business of pacemaker monitoring services into the Midwest. Physicians CardioTrace, headed by CEO Nancy Finkelmeier, is one of the nation's oldest providers of telephonic cardiac monitoring.

The deal will add about $750,000 to PDSHeart's annual revenue of $15 million. Physicians CardioTrace's roughly 15 employees have been offered relocation to Atlanta or West Palm Beach, Fla. PDSHeart CEO Sean Heyniger said he did not know if his company will maintain a presence in Cincinnati.